One month after being struck by a speeding minibus along the Annandale Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), 16-year-old Reaz Shaw of Lot 35 Annandale Public Road, ECD is paralyzed from the waist down.
This was confirmed by the teen’s father Yacoob Shaw who spoke with this publication on Saturday.
Shaw, a security guard attached to the Agriculture Ministry stated that his son was released from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Friday but there has been no signs of improvement in his son’s condition ever since the accident.
“Right now he can’t do nothing, he can’t talk, can’t walk, can’t eat, we does gah feed he with a tube. He could only use liquids like soup and juice and suh. He not even opening his eyes”, the father stated.
The older Shaw, told this publication that even though it’s been a difficult task financially for the family to take care of the teen they are just hoping and praying for the best at this time.
Further the man explained that while his son was still hospitalized, suspected relatives of the minibus driver, who is still on the run, visited them and offered a sum of money to compensate the teenager.
“De man family come and say how they want give we 3 million, I told them 6 cause every day we have to get money to buy thing for him and we have to travel and all them things. We been doing that since the accident happen, dah is nah no money man”.
“They come with a lawyer and telling me tek the money that they offering but that can’t compensate we. He gah use a tube to eat, every day we gah prepare soup and juice and suh”. He explained.
The teen’s mother Zahida Hussain also related that due to the accident Shaw- the last of four children- has been diagnosed with brain hemorrhaging (bleeding in the brain) and also fractured bones. He would have also sustained injures to his lungs.
According to her, the doctors have confirmed that as a result of the severe head injuries that he is not responding.
Hussain explained that she too has had a series of medical illnesses which makes it more difficult to take care of the 16-year-old.
Meanwhile, the minibus involved in the accident fled the scene after the accident. Days after it was finally located covered in tarpaulin under a house at Mon Repos, ECD.
The driver was nowhere to be seen but he was identified as a Chinese National.
It is believed that his wife encouraged him to hide the minibus but more so, to leave Guyana at once. Police sources confirmed that they might have fled to Suriname.
Nevertheless, the Chinese Association reportedly approached the relatives of the dead teenager and offered them $1.5 million but the family has since refused that as well.
Police have not yet been able to locate the minibus driver.
On December 10, the two young men went to a nearby shop to purchase an item and on their way back on their motorcycle, they were struck from behind by a white Toyoto Hiace Pitbull Minibus which did not stop.
Both the men were taken to the GPHC where Shaw’s his friend, Karmachand Khemraj died while receiving medical attention.
Shaw was admitted in an unconscious state.
